Convertible bookcase

ABSTRACT

A bookcase is disclosed having a base, a top panel, and four sides extending vertically from the base to the top panel and defining four vertically extending corners. The bookcase also includes a plurality of corner cabinets extending along the corners and defining a plurality of compartments therebetween. Each corner cabinet includes at least one first shelf for storing books. The bookcase further includes a plurality of cabinets arranged inside the plurality of compartments. Each cabinet includes a plurality of second shelves. Each second shelf is adapted to be removed or moved to a stored position to provide leg space for a user sitting on a chair and using the top panel as a work surface.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application63/188,865, which was filed on May 14, 2021, the disclosure of which ishereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to a bookcase. More particularly, thepresent invention pertains to a convertible bookcase adapted to be usedas a table having a work surface.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Articles of furniture, such as tables, bookshelves, and seats, aretypically utilized in schools, libraries and other workplaces forproviding storage and a seating arrangement to a user. These articles offurniture are typically constructed as fixed units having a dedicatedpurpose and require more space for positioning. In addition,transportation and maneuverability is also very difficult for thefurniture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the disclosure a bookcase is disclosed. Thebookcase includes a base; a top panel; four sides extending verticallyfrom the base to the top panel and defining four vertically extendingcorners; a plurality of corner cabinets extending along the corners anddefining a plurality of compartments therebetween, each corner cabinetincluding at least one first shelf for storing books; and a plurality ofcabinets arranged inside the plurality of compartments, each cabinetincluding a plurality of second shelves, and one of the second shelvesbeing a bottom shelf, wherein each second shelf is adapted to be removedor moved to a storage position for providing a leg space for a usersitting on a chair and using the top panel as a work surface.

Optionally, the bookcase includes a plurality of castors connected tothe base for supporting the bookcase on a ground surface.

Optionally, the bookcase comprises two half portions. And optionally,the half portions are identical.

Optionally, each of the half portions includes three or more castors.

Optionally, each cabinet includes a rear wall, and the rear walls of thecabinets define a storage compartment therebetween, the storagecompartment being located centrally within the bookcase.

Optionally, the bookcase includes at least one tray arranged inside thestorage compartment and arranged proximate to the top panel.

Optionally, the top panel defines an access opening to access thestorage compartment, and the bookcase further includes a cover engagedwith the top panel and adapted to selectively cover the access opening.

Optionally, each cabinet includes a rear wall and a plurality of magnetssecured thereto, and the second shelves additionally include a pluralityof magnets secured thereto, wherein the plurality of magnets in the rearwall align with the plurality of magnets in the second shelves so thatthe plurality of magnets can selectively secure the second shelves tothe rear wall.

Optionally, the second shelves include a plurality of spacers and eachmagnet in the plurality of magnets is secured to a respective spacer inthe plurality of spacers.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference ismade to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. Inthe drawings, like reference characters refer to like parts throughoutthe views in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a bookcase, in accordance withan embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a half portion of the bookcase,in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional perspective view of the bookcasedepicting a storage compartment and a partition wall separating twohalves of the bookcase, in accordance with an embodiment of thedisclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates a top perspective view of a bookcase depicting acabinet having shelves arranged in a lowered position, in accordancewith an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates a top perspective view of a bookcase depicting thecabinet having shelves arranged in a stored position, in accordance withan embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates a partial top view of the bookcase with a coverremoved and depicting a tray arranged inside a storage compartment ofthe bookcase, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 7 illustrates a partial bottom perspective view of a bookcasedepicting the cabinet having shelves arranged in a lowered position, inaccordance with an alternate embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a removable shelf according to theembodiment shown in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a partial view of the bookcase shown in FIG. 7 in which theshelf is arranged in a stored position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, a bookcase 100 suitable for use as, orconversion to, a table having a work surface is shown. The bookcase 100includes a substantially cuboidal structure having a top panel 102, foursides 104, 106, 108, 110 extending downwardly from the top panel 102 anddefining four vertically extending corners 112, and a bottom or a base114. As shown, the bookcase 100 includes four corner cabinets 116arranged along the four corners 112 of the bookcase 100. Each of thecorner cabinets 116 is identical in construction and includes a firstwall 118, a second wall 120 connected to the first wall 118 and defininga space 122 therebetween. Each corner cabinet 116 includes a pluralityof first shelves 124 arranged inside the space 122 and between the base114 and the top panel 102. In an embodiment, each first shelf 124includes a shape of a sector of a circle and is connected to andsupported by the first wall 118 and the second wall 120. It may beappreciated that a bottom shelf 126 of each corner cabinet 116 isdefined by a portion of the base 114 and is integrally formed with thebase 114. Each first shelf 124 of each of the corner cabinets 116 isengaged or supported via a plurality of shelf pins (not shown). In someembodiments, the bottom shelf 126 may be connected to and supported bythe base 114 via a bracket (not shown) connected to the base 114.

The bookcase 100 also includes a plurality of cabinets 130 which arepreferably arranged on four sides 104, 106, 108, 110 of the bookcase100. Each cabinet 130 includes a compartment 132 defined between twoadjacent corner cabinets 116, and a plurality of second shelves 134arrayed vertically inside the compartment 132. The second shelves 134are connected to the first wall 118 of the one corner cabinet 116 andthe second wall 120 of the adjacent corner cabinet 116. Further, eachsecond shelf 134 may be connected/engaged with a rear wall 136 of thecabinet 130. One of the second shelves 134 is a bottom shelf 135 .c

In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the second shelves 134 maybe removably arranged inside the compartment 132 and may be removed fromthe compartment 132 when needed. The second shelves 134 may be removedto provide leg space 140 for a user sitting on a chair and using thebookcase 100 as a table.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each of the secondshelves 134 is pivotally connected to the rear wall 136 of the cabinet130 and is adapted to move between a lowered position (shown in FIG. 4)and a stored position (shown in FIG. 5). In the lowered position, thesecond shelf 134 is arranged substantially horizontally and facilitatespositioning or storing of books upon the second shelf 134. In the storedposition, the second shelf 134 is arranged substantially parallel to therear wall 136 and abutting the rear wall 136 to provide the leg space140 for a person sitting on a chair and using the top panel 102 as thework surface. In an embodiment, the rear wall 136 of each cabinet 130extends vertically from the base 114 to the top panel 102 and isarranged inwardly of an outer edge 142 of the top panel 102.

Furthermore, the bookcase 100 includes a plurality of castors 150connected to the base 114 and supporting the bookcase 100 on a groundsurface. The castors 150 allow movement of the bookcase 100 from onelocation to another. In an embodiment, one or more castor 150 includes abrake to prevent the castor 150 from rolling, and hence preventing themovement of the bookcase 100 on the ground.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rear walls 134 of the four cabinets 130defines a storage compartment 152 therebetween. The storage compartment152 extends from the base 114 to the top panel 102 and is locatedcentrally within the bookcase 100. The top panel 102 defines an accessopening 154 (shown in FIG. 6) of the storage compartment 152. The accessopening 154 is located substantially centrally to the top panel 102.

The bookcase 100 is preferably formed by assembling two identical halfportions 160, 162, in which two of the rear walls 136, the base 114, andthe top panel 102, each are formed by assembling two half panels. In anembodiment, the top panel 102 is a single panel and the bookcase 100 issplit into two half portions 160, 162 by removing the top panel 102.Preferably each of the half portions 160, 162 includes three castors150, two arranged below the bottom shelves 126 of the two cornercabinets 116, and one castor 150 arranged below and substantiallycentrally to the partition wall 168. Although not shown in the drawings,four castors 150 may be provided, with each castor 150 being positionednear a corner of the half panel. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the storagecompartment 152 includes a first storage bin 164 and a second storagebin 166 separated from the first storage bin 164 by a partition wall168. The partition wall 168 may be formed by two panels 170, 172abutting each other and extending vertically from the base 114 towardsthe top panel 102. In the assembly of two half portions 160, 162, thepartition wall 168 is arranged substantially centrally to the storagecompartment 152. As shown, a first panel 170 of the partition wall 168is attached to a first half portion 160, while a second panel 172 of thepartition wall 168 is attached to a second half portion 162. In someembodiments, the partition wall 168 may be omitted.

Furthermore, the bookcase 100 includes a cover 180 engaged with the toppanel 102 and adapted to cover the access opening 154. Preferably, thecover 180 is engaged with the top panel 102 such that an upper surfaceof the cover 180 is flush and aligned with an upper surface of the toppanel 102 when the cover 180 is arranged to cover the access opening154. The bookcase 100 preferably includes at least one tray 181 (shownin FIG. 6) arranged inside the storage compartment 152 and arrangedproximate to the access opening 154 to store various articles. The tray181 is preferably generally rectangular in shape and has a bottomsurface 184, a plurality of walls 185 extending upward therefrom, and anopen top that allows free access into the tray 181. The tray 181 alsopreferably has a lip 186 that is located at a top edge of the walls 185and the lip 186 extends outwardly therefrom. The lip 186 preferablyextends around the perimeter of the top edge of the tray 181. To allowthe insertion and positioning of the at least one tray 181 inside thestorage compartment 152, the lip 186 can be positioned atop, andsupported by, a top edge of the rear walls 136 and the partition wall168. Furthermore, the top edge of the rear walls 136 and the partitionwall 168 may be sufficiently recessed below the top panel 102 (therebylowering the tray 181 as needed) so that the cover 180 over the accessopening 154 is flush with the top panel 102. The storage bins 164, 166and the trays 181 may also be separated from each other via horizontallyarranged panels 183. The tray 181 can be removed from the bookcase 100and may be carried elsewhere in the room. Also, the bookcase 100 may beused as the table with the cover 180 removed from the bookcase 100 tofacilitate an easy access of the items stored inside the tray 181 to auser. In an embodiment, the cover 180 may be positioned covering theaccess opening 154 to provide extra working space when the top panel102, and hence the bookcase 100 is being used as the table.

In yet another embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 7-9, each of the secondshelves 134 are removable from the rear wall 136 of the cabinet 130 andare adapted to move between a lowered position (shown in FIG. 7) and astored position (shown in FIG. 9). In the lowered position, the secondshelf 134 is arranged substantially horizontally and facilitatespositioning or storing of books upon the second shelf 134. In the storedposition, the second shelf 134 is arranged substantially parallel to therear wall 136 and adjacent to, but spaced apart from, the rear wall 136to provide the leg space 140 for a person sitting on a chair and usingthe top panel 102 as the work surface.

According to this embodiment, the rear wall 136 includes a plurality ofmagnets 188 which are secured to, and preferably flush with, the rearwall 136. Even more preferably, the rear wall 136 includes holes havinga shape that is complementary to the magnets 188 so that the magnets 188can be imbedded or secured therein. Shown in FIG. 8 is an embodiment ofthe second shelf 134 as depicted in FIGS. 7 and 9. A bottom surface 190of the second shelf 134 includes spacers 192 which extend outward fromthe bottom surface 190. The spacers 192 also include holes having ashape that is complementary to the magnets 188 so that the magnets 188can also be imbedded or secured therein. Alternatively, the magnets 188can be secured directly to, or imbedded within, the bottom surface 190of the second shelf 113. Importantly, the magnets 188 in the rear wall136 align with the magnets 188 in the second shelf 134 so that thesecond shelf 134 can be secured in place while in the stored positiondue to the magnets' attractive polarity. The spacers 192 are preferablyincluded because the spacers 192 function to space the second shelf 134from the rear wall 136. The resulting gap between the rear wall 136 andthe second shelf 134 provides a gripping location for a user to securethe second shelf 134 when the second shelf 134 is placed into or removedfrom the stored position.

In use, a user grasps the second shelf 134 in the lowered position shownin FIG. 7. The user then pivots the second shelf 134 so that the rearedge 192 slides upward along the rear wall 136, while the front edge 184is angled toward the rear wall 136. The magnets 188 in the second shelf134 are aligned with the magnets 188 in the rear wall 136, and thesecond shelf 134 is thereby secured into the stored position. Thatprocess is then reversed when a user desires to move the second shelf136 from the stored position to the lowered position. And as mentionedabove, the spacers 192 provide a gap between the second shelf 134 andthe rear wall 136 which aids the user in quickly and easily grasping thesecond shelf 134.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is onlyillustrative of the aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Variousalternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in theart without departing from the aspects of the disclosed embodiments.Accordingly, the aspects of the disclosed embodiments are intended toembrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variances that fallwithin the scope of the appended specification.

What is claimed is:
 1. A bookcase comprising: a base; a top panel; foursides extending vertically from the base to the top panel and definingfour vertically extending corners; a plurality of corner cabinetsextending along the corners and defining a plurality of compartmentstherebetween, each corner cabinet including at least one first shelf forstoring books; and a plurality of cabinets arranged inside the pluralityof compartments, each cabinet including a plurality of second shelves,and one of the second shelves being a bottom shelf, wherein each secondshelf is adapted to be removed or moved to a storage position forproviding a leg space for a user sitting on a chair and using the toppanel as a work surface.
 2. The bookcase of claim 1 including aplurality of castors connected to the base for supporting the bookcaseon a ground surface.
 3. The bookcase of claim 1 comprising two halfportions.
 4. The bookcase of claim 3 wherein the half portions areidentical.
 5. The bookcase of claim 3 wherein each cabinet includes arear wall, and the rear walls of the cabinets define a storagecompartment therebetween, the storage compartment being locatedcentrally within the bookcase.
 6. The bookcase of claim 5 including atleast one tray arranged inside the storage compartment and arrangedproximate to the top panel.
 7. The bookcase of claim 6 wherein the toppanel defines an access opening to access the storage compartment, andthe bookcase further includes a cover engaged with the top panel andadapted to selectively cover the access opening.
 8. The bookcase ofclaim 5 wherein the top panel defines an access opening to access thestorage compartment, and the bookcase further includes a cover engagedwith the top panel and adapted to selectively cover the access opening.9. The bookcase of claim 3 wherein each of the half portions includethree or more of the castors.
 10. The bookcase of claim 1 wherein eachcabinet includes a rear wall, and the rear walls of the cabinets definea storage compartment therebetween, the storage compartment beinglocated centrally within the bookcase.
 11. The bookcase of claim 10including at least one tray arranged inside the storage compartment andarranged proximate to the top panel.
 12. The bookcase of claim 11wherein the top panel defines an access opening to access the storagecompartment, and the bookcase further includes a cover engaged with thetop panel and adapted to selectively cover the access opening.
 13. Thebookcase of claim 10 wherein the top panel defines an access opening toaccess the storage compartment, and the bookcase further includes acover engaged with the top panel and adapted to selectively cover theaccess opening.
 14. The bookcase of claim 1 wherein each cabinetincludes a rear wall and a plurality of magnets secured thereto, and thesecond shelves additionally include a plurality of magnets securedthereto, wherein the plurality of magnets in the rear wall align withthe plurality of magnets in the second shelves so that the plurality ofmagnets can selectively secure the second shelves to the rear wall. 15.The bookcase of claim 14 wherein the second shelves include a pluralityof spacers and each magnet in the plurality of magnets is secured to arespective spacer in the plurality of spacers.